Now Reading: Supreme Court Raises Odisha Crash Survivor’s Compensation to Rs 83 Lakh
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Supreme Court Raises Odisha Crash Survivor’s Compensation to Rs 83 Lakh
Supreme Court Raises Odisha Crash Survivor’s Compensation to Rs 83 Lakh
The Supreme Court has raised compensation for Shreejita Pattnaik from Rs 45.40 lakh to Rs 83.38 lakh, with 9% annual interest. She was six months old when a tanker collided head-on with…
The Story in Brief
The Supreme Court has raised compensation for Shreejita Pattnaik from Rs 45.40 lakh to Rs 83.38 lakh, with 9% annual interest. She was six months old when a tanker collided head-on with her vehicle in Odisha on 16 June 2015. The crash caused spinal cord injuries, post-traumatic myelopathy and paraplegia.
The court treated her functional disability as 100%, although medical evidence assessed it at 90%. It increased amounts for attendant care, pain, loss of amenities and reduced marriage prospects. The bench also restored an 18 multiplier for children with catastrophic injuries and said future earnings should be calculated using minimum skilled wages.
The Indian Opinion
The lazy narrative that compensation is simply a windfall ignores lifelong dependence, attendant costs and lost opportunities. But the opposite claim, that any large award automatically secures a child’s future, is also too easy. A lump sum cannot remove uncertainty over medical care, inflation or support arrangements. The court’s reasoning matters more than the headline amount. The practical test will be whether Rs 83.38 lakh, with interest, meets her continuing care needs over time.
Source: hindustantimes.com
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Updated: this story now draws on 1 sources.
